16th-22nd February

Very changeable weather again with cold north winds bringing more snow even on the lower hills, by midweek the depth at Omalos is 1.5-3 metres. Late in the week as winds changed we spotted our first spring House Martin on the 17th with two later on the 22nd. The first Barn Swallow sighting was on the 21st, a single bird.

Highlight of the week and probably the year was 2 Egyptian Vultures on their spring migration north, circling over the house , we had fantastic views before they headed out onto the peninsula, we managed some great pics too and they can be found on Facebook. This is the first time we have seen this species on Crete in the spring.

Lots of Common Buzzard about this week, ten spotted as we drove along the 40km stretch of road to Chania and several seen heading north over Gramvousa.

21st and 22nd Golden Plover near Giorgopouli. Also Little Gulls still present. Snipe on the 18th, Booted Eagle 18th and a Water Pipit.

8th-15th February

Still with the storms causing havoc this week had very high winds lots of snow on the mountains. With little birding apart from sea watching which produced a good few species of gull and some Sandwich Tern along the battered north coast.

At Agyia, Little Gulls and little else !

In the Dikti area the usual Bearded Vulture, a dark morph Booted Eagle, 3 Golden Eagle on the 13th,Chough on the 15th , an Eastern Imperial Eagle on the 11th flying with a Bearded Vulture.

Numbers of species and individuals at Agyia is well down this year due to the disturbance caused by contractors , putting down boardwalks around the north and south perimeters of the lake. Hopefully these will recover. but with all things tourism related this may not be the end of the messing about with Agyia and its natural element !!

Lefka Ori....Alpine Accentors

4th at Giorgopouli .....Cormorants and Grey Heron

4th at Kissamos..... Treecreeper (short-toed) on a pole opposite the post office.

7th Kaliviani , several Common Buzzard , spotted in a line heading NW out onto Gramvousa. They maybe starting to move North.

Usual sightings of Bearded Vulture at Kamares along with Booted Eagle.

Little Egret, Shag and Cormorant at various locations along the coast.